Ahead of the takeoff of Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) automation in 11 locations next month, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has solicited the co-operation of data originators and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth takeoff of the project and enhance its sustainability.

Acting Managing Director of the agency, Emma Anasi, at a stakeholders’ forum, noted that all the key agencies or data originators would need to enhance their data collation, origination, processing, storage and exchange system to meet the requirement for data integrity, accuracy and availability under the AIS Automation.

Among the agencies in question are the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigerian Air Force, and so on.

Anasi said that upon completion of the AIS project, the facility would link Nigeria to a centralised aeronautical database, which will be connected to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) AFI Region Centralised Aeronautical Information Data Base (AFI-CAT).

He affirmed that on full completion of the project by December 2017, the 26 VSAT facilities located at various airports nationwide under the AIS Automation project would provide a structure for the exchange and management of flight, operational, aerodrome, safety, meteorological, financial as well as administrative information.

He said: “This network of information flow from service providers or data originators to airlines or airspace users would create the required environment for Airport Collaborative Decision Making.”

Other deliverables according to the NAMA boss would include the enhancement of e-NOTAM, e-Flight Planning, e-AIP, e-TOD, e-Charts, e-Flight briefing and also boost capacity for voice and data communication for both air to ground and ground to ground communication.

Earlier in his remarks, the Director General of NIMET, Dr. Anthony Anuforom called for regular meetings of stakeholders to monitor the progress of the automation project stating that such interaction would fast-track the process and ensure sustainability over time. Present at the forum were representatives of the Military Air Command, NCAA, FAAN, and NIMET.